WPY 2010

It came from the gloom

Patrik's sand-tiger location was a cave off South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia. Sand tigers look fearsome but are quite placid, and Patrik's real anxiety was not to spook them. He flattened himself against the cave wall and tried to breathe shallowly so as not to produce too many bubbles. But though some sharks came so close that Patrik could almost touch them, he couldn't get the right shot. An hour later, frozen and low on air, he was about to surface when a 3-metre-long (10-foot) sand tiger appeared out of the gloom, followed by a school of eastern pomfred fish. It was the perfect moment, and Patrik got his shot.

Photograph Details

Highly commended 2010

Underwater Worlds

Patrik Bartuška, Czech Republic

It came from the gloom

Patrik's sand-tiger location was a cave off South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia. Sand tigers look fearsome but are quite placid, and Patrik's real anxiety was not to spook them. He flattened himself against the cave wall and tried to breathe shallowly so as not to produce too many bubbles. But though some sharks came so close that Patrik could almost touch them, he couldn't get the right shot. An hour later, frozen and low on air, he was about to surface when a 3-metre-long (10-foot) sand tiger appeared out of the gloom, followed by a school of eastern pomfred fish. It was the perfect moment, and Patrik got his shot.

Technical specification

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